Rio Olympic Games are in 1 Year plus other exciting events

Chee: Do you know that this Sunday is Singapore's 50th birthday?

Do you use multi-ball for your training?

What is bigger, the World Championships or Olympic Games for Table Tennis?

Noel: Hello and welcome back coaches! I am creating some bad habits that I would like to fix. It seems that every ball I want to topspin, I brush it to vertical and not flat enough for speed. How can I hit more flatter?

Noel: One more question, gentlemen. What do you do for an aching shoulder? I've been playing lots of table tennis and it's taking it's making my shoulder hurt. Should stop for a week or two?

Hao: I would like to ask what we should do when we are chopping in order to create a no spin ball. Many Thanks!

Dakota:  After 8 matches at my first USTTA tournament, I have been able to let go of my desire to win practice matches. do you think that having a greater desire to win practice matches over the desire to improve inhibits people from getting better?

Jared: I recently played an opponent who would smash high balls with backspin/sidespin by pulling is racket down on the ball while smashing. As i have never played against this before it was extremely difficult to adjust to. What do you recommend?

Chee: Jeff and Alois, what serve would you use last time when you were in competitions?

Multiball Course

Forehand Topspin Against Block

Forehand Chop

Forehand Smash

Pendulum Serve - for premium members

High Toss Serve - for premium members

Alois in Action with the High Toss Serve

Is maths ability related to Table Tennis?

Do you use multi-ball for your training?

Forehand Block

Mike D: There are times where I love to counter hit the ball against a slower loop. Sometimes I block but my coach says to only use the block against players who are rated 1500-1800 in the US. Should I just block or do both depending upon the situation?

Brock: Hey PingSkills, I know that you maybe don't know this but do you know if there is any Table Tennis Video Games?

Brock: I had my 5th tournament and I won the entire tournament and I'm proud :)

Ilia: I recently went to a tournament, where I played lots of kids that didn't have a strong attack against backspin, but they all had a blazing forehand counterloop. I often found myself blocking all their counterloops and trying to take a breathe.

Lakshya: I have a problem when i am play in ranking tournaments i fear to play backhand stroke. How do i face my fear?

Tushar: I know how to do long and fast serve but is their any way to do long spiny serve.

Kaustubh: What is the best way to return a ball with heavy backspin on it?

Brock: Do you have a tip to counter a very high ball that has sidespin on it, It's maybe a 2- 3 m high ball and when it bounce it goes to the side and I miss, do you know a tip to control that ball ?

Forehand Block

Wii Sports Table Tennis

How to Counter a Slow Spinny Topspin

Sports Psychology Course

Forehand Topspin Against Backspin

Long Fast Serve with Lots of Backspin - for premium members

Fast Serve Down the Line

Forehand Smash

Is maths ability related to Table Tennis?

Do you use multi-ball for your training?

Forehand Block

Mike D: There are times where I love to counter hit the ball against a slower loop. Sometimes I block but my coach says to only use the block against players who are rated 1500-1800 in the US. Should I just block or do both depending upon the situation?

Brock: Hey PingSkills, I know that you maybe don't know this but do you know if there is any Table Tennis Video Games?

Brock: I had my 5th tournament and I won the entire tournament and I'm proud :)

Ilia: I recently went to a tournament, where I played lots of kids that didn't have a strong attack against backspin, but they all had a blazing forehand counterloop. I often found myself blocking all their counterloops and trying to take a breathe.

Lakshya: I have a problem when i am play in ranking tournaments i fear to play backhand stroke. How do i face my fear?

Tushar: I know how to do long and fast serve but is their any way to do long spiny serve.

Kaustubh: What is the best way to return a ball with heavy backspin on it?

Brock: Do you have a tip to counter a very high ball that has sidespin on it, It's maybe a 2- 3 m high ball and when it bounce it goes to the side and I miss, do you know a tip to control that ball ?

Forehand Block

Wii Sports Table Tennis

How to Counter a Slow Spinny Topspin

Sports Psychology Course

Forehand Topspin Against Backspin

Long Fast Serve with Lots of Backspin - for premium members

Fast Serve Down the Line

Forehand Smash

ITTF World Tour, Pyongyang Open

What was the biggest factor that made you start playing Table Tennis?

Is maths ability related to Table Tennis?

Mike D: Hi guys, welcome back :) I try to vary speed and spin on my chops during a rally, but at times I feel that heavy back spin would help me more in certain situations. How do I put heavy back spin on the ball during a match?

Nigel: Enjoyed seeing England blitz the Australian cricket team here in the UK and it made me wonder if some table tennis coaching could help them read the spin and direction better. Perhaps some mental preparation would help also.

Marcin: Why it is so important for the right-hander forehand push/flick, as answer to a short ball, to put the right foot forward underneath the table? Instead if i go in with the Left foot, it feels as if i have more range where to place the ball. why?

Siva: During the match, my topspin is around 60-70% accurate but when my opponent hits topspin, mostly I’ll miss the block. Even if I block, ball will go outside or will go to net. I tried to focus on the ball all time, but still I can’t get the confidence

David: I'm a beginner , I saw a few videos on the loop on youtube but when I try it the balls goes really far of the table, any tips or drills on how I can practice thin contact?

Sasha: I want to get my side spin more wide, something like He Zhe Wen. I have seen that video, and, whenever I try to serve I hit the ball with the edge of my blade, because I can't hit it on the side. What should be my blade angle and swing be?

2015 Pyongyang Open

Backhand Push

Backhand Block

Forehand Flick - Using your right foot.

He Zhi Wen's Serve

Aussies lose to England in the 3rd Ashes Test

Who do you want to see win the Pan American Games?

We discuss the tournament so far.

What was the biggest factor that made you start playing Table Tennis?

On Table Warm Up

Johnny: I've recently played some players capable of executing sidespin topspin attacks. I've almost never played players that can execute this stroke well, so I had lots of trouble returning this stroke. Most of the times I would entirely miss the ball.

Yazid: Hi Alois, is it good to learn many serves?

Ilia: Some players claim that they can judge the spin on service receive by watching the logo. Recently I tried to spot those annoying no-spin serves by watching if the logo is visible. But I found that staring at the logo takes too much focus.

Jeff's Twitter

Alois' Twitter

Pan American Games

High Toss Serve - for premium members

Robin Williams was born

Mark Taylor: What happens if a ball breaks during a rally? I recently lost 2 points in my pennant match after the ball broke.

Correcting Errors

What is the coldest temperature you have played Table Tennis in?

Who do you want to see win the Pan American Games?

Mike D: Hi guys! When I try to loop a long ball with a lot of back spin, my arm tenses up. Many times I able to loop it over the net, winning points against various players. But when my arm is more relaxed, I have trouble looping the ball. How can I correct this?

Noel: Hello Coaches: Is a punch a fast counter drive? Or is it more like a flick? BTW, I noticed my legs are getting stronger, and my strokes are more powerful. Trying to stay low! Premium videos helping alot. Thanks.

Amr: Hi when I am training some drops of sweat get on rubbers and when I try to get rid of them with my hand rubbers became sweaty and the grip is removed because of sweat on rubbers how i solve this problem?

Chee: My coach is going to make me have a competition with my team mates next month to get me ready for next year's competition.Can you give me some suggestions what to do when i start out in the competition?

Ugo: When committing to a forehand loop return is it sufficient to keep the bat vertical when driving the ball from under the table with a brushing technique . If the opponent chops with heavy backspin, is it the power or the vertical swing and bat angle?

Bennett: I have been playing seriously for about 6 months and I was wanting to know when I should go to a tournament. I'm not too worried about my rating and I am mostly doing it for the enjoyment of the game.

Hello, I am having problems with learning the reverse pendulum serve. I either just push the ball from underneath or I just do the motion but the serve doesn't go over the net. My racket has 11-12/12 spin and 12/12 speed with hard rubber.

Romeo: I am a player that likes to play forehands away from the table. I usually win against my opponents because of my spinny topspins. If I was required to play in small space should I start being a blocker or hitter just in case?

Chee: What is the time now in Melbourne? I am a bit of curious of the time difference between australia and Singapore.

Are you interested in football i mean soccer?

So I won my first tournament! I really have you guys to thank for a lot of that. I noticed that I have trouble when my opponent gets a few points in a row. How could I simulate these situations in my training? Also, when should I back up from the table?

Is it better to brush the ball heard on top of the table when its higher or hitting flat?

Correcting Errors

Table Tennis on Ice

Neil Armstrong walks on the Moon

Regional Games are a great opportunity to see different players in action

What is your favourite Football Team?

What is the coldest temperature you have played Table Tennis in?

Jeff M: I would like to start using my TT robot, but the manual says I should put balls into lukewarm water to minimise the chance of it clogging up the robot. Is it necessary? Can I just use a wet cloth to wipe each ball before I put them into the basket?

Romeo: I have seen you guys talk about not tensing your arm during a stroke, but what about the body? Should we relax our feet too? Or should they be tensed?

Jared: I was wondering what is the ideal service placement, speed and spin to use against choppers.

Shaant: Now, I am more kind of an attacking player. In a regular game, I will only attack. My opponent can always chop and chop and chop, but I run out of patience. Can you please tell me what to do? What to do so that I don't run out of patience?

Since Alois is gone and my pingskills clubmate needs advice, let's do a one-time Ask The Webmaster segment. What information and general stuff should a club website contain?

Pan American Games

Playing a Defensive Chopper - for premium members

Feliks Zemdegs 2015 Rubik's Cube World Championships Results

What is the most important part of your game? Technique, Tactics, Fitness and Mental?

What is your favourite Football Team?

Noel: Hello Alois & Jeff, sometimes I get caught whether to block or loop the 4th or 5th ball, that indecision gets the ball in the net for me. How can I avoid getting in this situation? Is it a matter of stepping back and start a rally or try to block wide?

Mike D: New Premium member here :) Compared to other players around the world, there is a huge gap on the level of play in the United States. How can the US become more competitive with the rest of the world?

Noel: Who is a better dancer? Alois or Jeff?

Akash: Is mark V rubber is suited for plastic balls? it is because, mark V rubber has least price and comfortable for us, but i can't find that, mark V rubber is suited against plastic balls?

Mark: Do you think any pro players would do even better by reining in their game? I see so many points lost just barely missing the edge of the table, but it's hard to say whether a softer shot would just invite a heavier counterattack.

Marcin: Two Coloured Balls in Chinese League. I think it was a great Idea for the Sport. Why didnt it work? Pros were, having more information on spin of the Serve for the receiver. So hiding or Disguising were no more a big deal. Longer rallies to watch.

2015 Rubik's Cube World Championships

Slow Spinny Topspin - for premium members

Panda Dancing (toward the end of the video)

Point of the Century

What is the best part of the PingSkills.com site?

What is the most important part of your game? Technique, Tactics, Fitness and Mental?

Pendulum Serve Index Finger position

Brock: Hey Pingskills I have improve my blocks a lot now :) Sometimes I surprise my opponents when they topspins the ball and I do a long ball on the other side of the table, I'm getting better :)

RB: How can i attack a low long ball? (in Fh or BH). If I block or push my opponent can easily attack. May I use to flick in long ball? How can I do? Attack or continue block? Usually if I want to do a topspin because the ball is low my ball hit net.

Dakota: With a push that would bounce off the end of the table, if being in position isn't an issue, what is the difference in brushing and arm speed if attempting to topspin the ball while it is still over the table compared to off the end?

Nico: how can we choose our receiving positions: left corner, center of the table, close to the table or not?

Omkar: I am not able to play Forehand strokes properly. My stance first was to squat a little towards my right hand side and playing defensive. I now stand parallel to table but still find it very awkward to play forehand shots. Please help.

Brock: If someone serve short and low, do you prefer a push or a flick to return?

Brock: Hey! Recently me and a buddy of mine have been trying to set a record for most counterhits :D. Do you think we should try and increase the counterhits we can execute in 1 rally or should I return to my regular training schedule like multiball etc. ?

Brock: I have a great question: You says that the start and finish are important but isn't it good if you do a great forehand topspin without the start and finish position?

Pendulum Serve Index Finger Position

PingSkills Vault - Record tactics and training sessions

Forehand Topspin Off Backspin

Backhand Topspin Off Backspin

Receiving Position - for premium members

The Finish Position - for premium members

How do you take in the Ask the Coach Shows? Blog, Youtube, Facebook or Podcast?

What is the best part of the PingSkills.com site?

Switching Dual/Duel

Brock: Can you please discuss these two shots?

Daniel: Why do modern defenders like Joo Sae Hyuk and Chen Wenxing use long pips on the backhand? Are there advantages or disadvantages with using inverted pips rubbers (as opposed to long pips) on the backhand for the modern defender style?

Chris: If I serve underspin and they recieve with a push long is there a height where you should switch from topspinning as the ball is falling to topspinning at the top of the bounce?

Amber: I wanted to know what are the differences in terms of 1. spin 2. speed 3. blocking for rubber with 1.8,1.9 and max. Which is recommended for backhand? I do not do lot of backhand topspin.

Bennett: I know its illegal to hide the ball during the service, but if I’m using two different rubbers, could I hide the bat behind my back right before the serve and as the toss is coming down i reveal my rubber giving my opponent less time to read it?

Brock: Hey, my rival gets better everytime I meet him. He said that him and his buddy did 15.000 counterhits in a row, I think he beat your record Alois :(

Random and Competitive Drills - for premium members

Forehand Chop

Backhand Chop

Forehand Topspin off Backspin

Training Drills PDF

Consistency Chart